Saturday, February 27, 2010

After Biby

County Commissioner Grady Biby died a couple weeks ago. The county commission has the option of either holding a special election or appointing a replacement. With less than a year left in his term and the county strapped for cash, the commission has chosen to appoint a replacement.

John Cross Sr., a retired Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s deputy.Erin Hoogendyk, a Texas Township trustee and the wife of Jack Hoogendyk, a former state representative.Timothy Rogowski, a banker.Ronald Commissaris, a former Texas Township supervisor.Thomas Batten, owner of a business called Prodesse Tutoring and a Democrat running for the 61st District state House seat.Elrico Hurley, a former member of the Kalamazoo Public Schools Board of Education.

Erin Hoogendyk is a strong conservative like her husband. Both are members of the local Republican party. Tim Rogowski is a moderate Republican who is involved in the local party. Commissaris was Texas Township Supervisor until he was defeated in the Republican primary in 2008 by Dave Healy. He is a moderate who endorsed tax increases and was never active in the party. Batten is a 30-year-old democrat of unclear beliefs running for the 61st district nomination. This blog is unfamiliar with Cross and Hurley.

Who will the commission appoint? It currently has a 9-7 democrat majority. At least some of the democrat commssioners have endorsed the idea of appointing a Republican since Biby was a Republican. Of course, any democrat appointed to the seat would be all but certain to lose in November since Texas Township is the most Republican part of the county. On the other hand, the democrats may appoint a moderate Republican to give him a boost in the primary and hope to keep the seat from a conservative like Erin Hoogendyk. That would suggest appointing Rogowski or Commissaris.

There will likely be a primary no matter who the bourd appoints, as Erin is likely to run either way.